Podcasts about Amen

When God's people had just finished rebuilding the broken walls of Jerusalem and gathered to hear the law read aloud, they were moved to tears. They heard how far they had fallen short of how God wanted them to live, and the grief was genuine and real. But Nehemiah stepped in with a message that must have surprised them: stop grieving and start celebrating. Eat good food, enjoy sweet drinks, share with those who have nothing prepared. Why? Because this day is holy to the Lord, and the joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy and happiness are not the same thing, and that distinction matters enormously for anyone trying to navigate a difficult season with faith intact. Happiness depends on circumstances. When things go well, it is present. When things go wrong, it disappears. The joy of the Lord operates on entirely different terms. It is based not on how a day is going, but on who God is — and because God never changes, His joy never runs out. It is available in any circumstances, at any moment, as a choice rooted in what we know to be true about Him. Notice also what Nehemiah asked the people to do once they received that joy: share it. Joy that fills the heart naturally spills over into generosity, into noticing others who are in need, and into action. The burden of the world does not have to rest on our shoulders. We simply need to let our loving Heavenly Father lead the heart — and let His joy be our strength, today and every day. Bible Verse "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."— Nehemiah 8:10, NIV Ponder Today Joy is a gift from God that can be chosen in any circumstances. Unlike happiness, which depends on things going well, the joy of the Lord is rooted in God's unchanging character and love. It is available to you right now, regardless of what your day looks like. The joy of the Lord acts like fuel for the soul. Pushing through difficulty in your own strength leads to exhaustion. Letting God's joy fill your heart gives you the energy, peace, and confidence to keep going — not because circumstances improved, but because your source of strength did not change. You do not have to pretend problems do not exist to choose joy. Choosing joy is choosing to focus on God's goodness rather than temporary troubles. It is believing that God is stronger than the challenge, not pretending the challenge is not real. Joy that fills the heart naturally spills over into generosity. Nehemiah's instruction was to share food with those who had nothing. God's joy cannot be kept to yourself — it produces a desire to notice others in need and respond with the same abundance we have received. You do not have to carry the world on your shoulders. Your job is to let your Heavenly Father lead your heart. When stress comes, remember God is with you. When guilt sneaks in, remember His love is unconditional. When worry rises, remember His power is more than sufficient. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, thank You for loving me completely and unconditionally and for giving me strength in every situation. You know the burdens I have been carrying lately. You know what makes my heart feel overwhelmed with sadness or stress. Today I want to lay all those worries at Your feet and trust You to help me with each of them. Please fill my heart right now with the joy that only You can give. Help me remember that my joy does not depend on my circumstances, but on Your goodness, which never changes. Teach me how to let Your joy lead my thoughts, words, and actions today. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, remind me that Your joy is my true strength. Give me an open heart to notice those around me who are suffering, and show me simple ways to share Your joy with them. Thank You, God. Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How can speaking to God in a new way invite us into a deeper way of seeing and hearing from Him? What role can poetry play in helping us communicate with our Creator?For pastor and author Tyler Staton, the words penned on a page during his cancer journey were never intended for anyone but himself and the Lord. Yet he discovered that the way he communed with God through scribbles in a tattered notebook offered a powerful invitation for all of us—to notice God's presence in both the ordinary moments and the difficult circumstances of our lives. Paired with Scripture, Tyler's book, After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayer, explores the beautiful intersection of poetry and prayer, offering a meaningful way to examine our lives while paying closer attention to God's presence within them.In this episode, Davey and Tyler discuss how we can better recognize God in the everyday, why it is so important to grieve our losses, and the role spiritual practices play in carrying us into the presence of God amid our pain.If you've ever struggled to find the words to speak to God, this conversation offers an invitation into the creative and poetic language that can help you feel seen, understood, and accompanied in your suffering. Website: https://www.tylerstaton.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylercstaton/ Episode 362: Spiritual Practices in Wilderness Seasons with Tyler Staton https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-362 Book: After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayerhttps://amzn.to/42WUl3P Not living the story you expected? Pain changes us but doesn't have to define us. Discover where you are on your healing journey and get a personalized pathway for your next steps: nothingiswasted.com/starthere Looking for help in navigating the valley of pain and trauma? Our Nothing is Wasted coaches can help: nothingiswasted.com/coaching SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app (https://tinyurl.com/RONSeedsApp) and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 20–21; Psalm 11; Revelation 8 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 3rd episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 20–21, Psalm 11, and Revelation 8. Today's readings confront us with difficult images of rebellion, violence, judgment, and a world experiencing the consequences of turning away from God. Ezekiel announces the coming sword, while Revelation gives us the frightening imagery surrounding the opening of the seventh seal and the sounding of the trumpets. Yet right in the middle of these unsettling passages, Psalm 11 reminds us where our hope is found. The righteous Lord loves justice, and the virtuous will see his face. Then something remarkable happens in Revelation. Heaven falls silent. Before the Lamb, there is nothing left to say. Today's devotion invites us into that silence and asks us to look again at the face of God revealed in Jesus. At Calvary, Christ enters into the violence and judgment of this world, not answering violence with violence but overcoming it through self-giving, radically forgiving love. God's dream for creation is not destruction. It is reconciliation, restoration, and shalom. Even when the darkness around us seems overwhelming, we are invited to train our hearts to see what God sees and trust that Christ is making all things new. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Terror and the sword, and the face of God. How sobering these passages are. Ezekiel cries out about the sword that is coming upon a world caught up in rebellion. Revelation gives us images of terror and judgment. The prophets will not allow us to pretend that violence, idolatry, injustice, and human rebellion have no consequences. A world bent on destruction eventually experiences the fruit of its own way. But before we despair, the psalmist speaks: "The righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face." His face. That is what God desires. Relationship. Communion. Face to face. God is not intent on destruction. God is intent on drawing his creation into the fullness of life with himself. Yet our violence, pride, fear, and idolatry blind us to his face. Then Revelation gives us this extraordinary scene. The Lamb breaks the seventh seal. And heaven falls silent. There is awe. There is mystery. There is the recognition of everything that is unfolding. Sometimes silence is the only appropriate response when we begin to see the depth of what God has done in Christ. The psalmist asks, "Why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety'?" Where do we flee when the world seems overwhelmed by violence? Where do we go when terror and the sword seem to surround us? We fly to Christ. We fly to Calvary. That is our mountain of safety. At Calvary, the Lamb of God enters completely into the violence of his rebellious creation. And what does he do? He does not strike back. He does not answer violence with greater violence. He stretches out his hands. He forgives. Through his self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love, Jesus enters death itself and breaks its power from within. This is the face of God. Look at Jesus and see. God's dream is not endless destruction. God's dream is a world restored. Humanity reconciled. Creation healed. Enemies becoming friends. The broken made whole. The lost brought home. Shalom. Jesus has come to accomplish this, and God's dream for his creation will not fail. The darkness around us may be easy to see. Violence is easy to see. Fear is easy to see. Division and despair are easy to see. But faith trains our eyes to see something more. Faith teaches us to see what God sees. It teaches us to look at the Lamb and believe that his love is stronger than death. Paul could see the day when Christ would be all and in all. John could see a multitude gathered around the throne. The prophets could see swords becoming plowshares. They were learning to see God's dream. And so must we. Let us fix our eyes on Christ. Let us train our souls to recognize his face. Let us receive his peace, his joy, his forgiveness, and his life. And then let us go into this frightened and divided world as ambassadors of his radically reconciling love. Sometimes the appropriate response is simply silence. To stand in awe before the Lamb. To see his face. To receive his love. And then to become what we have received. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Original Postdate: September 5, 2024 === Gospel Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. Reflection When we experience gifts that flow seemingly natural through us, it's really difficult to understand which part of our effectiveness in the world is due to our own energy and our own understanding, our own discipline. Or is it purely a gift from God? Well, the key, it's both. But human beings have a hard time keeping themselves in balance when God is using them to accomplish great deeds. We need to be careful of not falling into the trap of thinking those deeds come from us, and not just through us. Closing Prayer Father, over and over again we see people who have authority and responsibility and a position of power, getting caught up in it and ending up being not the instrument that God can use any longer. Keep us grounded in the humility that God is the source of all that we can accomplish when it comes to building his kingdom. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260903dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? Romans 8:24 Saved In Hope When you say, “I hope so,” what do you mean? “I hope the traffic isn’t bad…I hope it doesn’t rain.” It’s a wish more than a guarantee. That is not the hope in our Bible verse today: “In this hope we were saved.” Notice the tense. We were saved. Jesus has already accomplished everything necessary for our salvation. On the cross, he declared, “It is finished.” He paid for every sin. He declared that whoever believes in him already has eternal life. So, if we are already saved, why do we still hope? Because while our salvation is complete, it has not yet been fully revealed. We possess God’s promises by faith, but we have not yet seen their fulfillment with our eyes. Think of a child on Christmas Eve. The gifts are already under the tree. They can see their name on the presents. Yet the child still waits eagerly for morning, longing to unwrap what has already been bought. So, too, our inheritance is already ours because of Christ. Yet we eagerly await the day when every promise is opened before us. That is why Paul says, “Hope that is seen is no hope at all.” If we could already see heaven, there would be no need for hope. If our bodies had already been raised, there would be no need for waiting. But we're not there yet. So, what do we do now? We live by God's promises, trusting that God's Word speaks a reality greater than what our eyes can see. A hospital room doesn’t look like victory, but Jesus says, “Your body will rise.” Tears of loneliness shed on a pillow don't look comforting, but Jesus says, “You are my child.” One day hope will no longer be necessary. Faith will become sight when we see Jesus’ face and rejoice in the glory that cannot be compared to present suffering. Until that day, we live in hope—not because we are guessing what the future holds, but because we know the One who holds the future. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for accomplishing my salvation completely. When my eyes are fixed on the troubles of this world, turn my heart again to your sure promises. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus Christ is not merely part of history—He is its focal point, the Beginning and the End, worthy of all glory, honor, majesty, and praise. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to John's extraordinary vision of the glorified Christ in Revelation. Jesus stands among seven golden lampstands representing His churches, reminding us that the Church exists to shine His light faithfully into a dark world. John sees Christ in overwhelming majesty: clothed with authority, perfectly holy, seeing all things, speaking with supreme power, and prepared to judge with righteousness. His Word penetrates the deepest places of the heart, and His face shines with glorious brilliance. This is the risen Lord who knows His Church completely—and whose return should shape how we live today. That urgency lies behind Christ's messages to the seven churches of Revelation. His words include warning, correction, encouragement, conviction, and invitation. And one of His most searching challenges concerns our love for Him. It is possible to defend Biblical Truth, pursue good works, and still allow our affection for Jesus to grow cold. Accurate theology and faithful service can never replace wholehearted love for the Savior Himself. If your love for Christ has weakened, His invitation remains open: confess, repent, and return. Rekindle your first love, order your life in light of eternity, and live today with the joyful expectation that your glorious King could return at any time. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, forgive me for setting my eyes on the things of this world rather than You, my Redeemer. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Scientists are recognizing the similarities between the workings of the DNA code and computer science. DNA is, after all, a complex information storage system. But comparing DNA as an information storage system to our largest and fastest computers is like comparing the Space Shuttle with a bow and arrow.Harvard biologists have been amazed at what they have learned about the DNA workings of a single-celled protozoan. Its DNA routinely solves mathematical problems that only a very advanced modern computer can handle.All of us have seen the complex problem of the traveling salesman. He has seven points of departure, and seven destinations. The problem is to work out the most efficient route for him to follow. By comparison, the protozoan under study solves the equivalent problem with up to 50 points of departure and 50 destinations.This little protozoan has two nuclei, with nucleus arranging the same DNA differently. The smaller nucleus stores only the DNA needed to live in small units and must be reassembled before they do anything. This means it may discard up to 95 percent of the DNA, similar to compressed computer information. When the protozoan needs to reassemble its DNA, each end of each unit needs to find the proper end of the only other unit it attaches to. This is not "simple" life. Even scientists now recognize that this one-celled creature is a complex computer. And this bears witness to God, Who is the author of life, mathematics and all knowledge.Isaiah 40:12"Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?”Prayer: I thank You, Father, that You have given knowledge to us. Amen.Ref: Kathy Sawyer, “Biological Software,” Princeton Alumni Weekly. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Our text today is 1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. — 1 Peter 3:18 If someone asked you why Jesus died, what would you say? For many Christians, the answer feels obvious. "He died for my sins." And that's true. But Peter takes us deeper. In one verse, he gives us one of the clearest explanations of the gospel in the entire New Testament. Every phrase matters. "Christ suffered once for sins." Under the old covenant, sacrifices were offered repeatedly because they could never fully deal with sin. Day after day. Year after year. Blood was shed as a reminder that sin demands judgment. But Jesus wasn't another sacrifice in a long line of sacrifices. He was the final sacrifice. Nothing needs to be added to His work. Nothing needs to complete it. Nothing needs to repeat it. The debt has been paid in full. Then Peter says, "The righteous for the unrighteous." This is the great exchange at the heart of Christianity. Jesus wasn't merely a good teacher who died for a cause. He wasn't simply giving us an example of sacrificial love. The perfectly righteous Son of God took the place of unrighteous sinners. He bore the judgment we deserved so that we could receive the righteousness we could never earn. He became our substitute. And why did He do it? Peter tells us: "That he might bring us to God." I love that phrase. Jesus didn't die simply to improve your life. He didn't come merely to make bad people better. He came to bring spiritually dead people home to God. Sin had separated us from God. The distance we created through rebellion, Christ crossed through His sacrifice. The door we could never open, Jesus unlocked. The cross wasn't only about forgiveness. It was about reunion. The God our sin pushed away is the God Christ came to bring near. Peter wrote these words to believers who were suffering in a hostile world. They needed to remember that suffering was not meaningless, for their Savior had already transformed it into salvation. The cross looked like defeat. It was actually a victory. And if God could use the darkest day in human history to accomplish our redemption, then He can be trusted with the painful chapters of your story, too. You may not understand everything God is doing. But you can know this: Jesus has already done everything necessary to bring you home. Nothing can be added to His work. Nothing can take away from His love. And nothing can separate you from the God who came near through the cross. Thank Jesus for this sacrifice today, specifically for how his sacrifice has brought you near to him and back home to the Father. DO THIS: Spend a few minutes thanking Jesus for specific aspects of His sacrifice. Don't rush past the cross. Reflect on what it means that He stood in your place and brought you to God. ASK THIS: How would I explain the gospel to someone using this one verse? Am I trusting Christ's finished work or trying to earn God's acceptance? How does knowing Jesus brought me to God change the way I view my present struggles? PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for sending Your Son to suffer in my place. Thank You that Jesus paid for my sins completely and brought me near to You. Help me rest in His finished work and live with confidence, knowing that nothing can separate me from Your love. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Alleluia."

Thursday, 3 September 2026   Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. Matthew 22:25   “They were, also, among us seven brothers, and the first, having married, he died, and not having seed, he left the ‘wife, his' to the ‘brother, his'.” (CG)   In the previous verse, the Sadducees cited the law from Moses concerning the levirate marriage. With that laid before Him, they now bring in a scenario based on that law, beginning with, “They were, also, among us seven brothers”   As the basis for their question was the levirate marriage prescription found in the law, we can already assume their question will be based on that, which necessitates an evaluation from Jesus. However, it is to be remembered that Matthew introduced the Sadducees in this section as saying there is no resurrection. That will somehow be connected to their question.   Being seven brothers, and their proposal being dependent on the prescription from Moses, the assumption is that these are seven brothers from the same father's side of the family. The reason for this is that it is the name and inheritance that is being dealt with, something that is irrelevant to a half-brother who is from another father.   Their words continue, saying, “and the first, having married, he died.” One can already assume what the rest of this situation will be. They are speaking to Jesus about the levirate marriage. A son in the family has died. The natural assumption would thus be as is next stated, “and not having seed, he left the ‘wife, his' to the ‘brother, his'.”   The man had no children before he died. Because of that, it is the responsibility under the law that the next son would perform the duty of raising up a son in the name of his deceased brother.   So far, there is nothing unusual about the matter at hand.   Life application: The prescription of the levirate marriage, being a part of the law, was considered mandatory. However, during the later period of the Second Temple, preserved writings note that there was a shift in thinking about it.   The obligation is that if a man married and died childless, a surviving brother was to raise up a son in his name. However, the law did allow for refusal, with a ceremony specifying what was to be done. The result, based on the prescription, was intended to shame the one who refused to fulfill his obligation. Despite this, there came into the sages' thinking the issue of the practice of the precept and the alternative of declining the obligation. In fulfilling the obligation, the word used to describe the matter was yabam, the act of marrying the brother's widow. That comes from the noun yabam, the brother-in-law mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:5 and 25:7.   On the other side of the matter is halitzah, the removal, meaning the removal of the sandal noted in Deuteronomy 25:9. During the later Second Temple period, there was a historical shift in the debate about this practice. The sages debated whether performing the marriage, yabam, could be replaced with simply allowing the halitzah.   The point of approving the the practice of halizah as the standard method of dealing with this was so that there was no shame attached to the matter. This would then allow the woman to marry anyone she pleased, and the name of the brother would end.   One can see the problem here. The law sets forth a requirement, and every effort imaginable is made to circumvent the unpalatable precepts. This is seen in the New Testament when Jesus debates with the religious leaders. The matter of the obligation to help one's aged parents is a prime example. People will openly and with a pious attitude do things that they find easy to stomach or that don't complicate life, but those things which are more complicated, distasteful, etc., are given a workaround.   As seen in the typology explained in the previous commentary, there was to be a sense of shame for not fulfilling the law. However, in Christ's fulfillment of it, there would then be honor. That is obliterated by those who change the intent of the law from an obligation to a general guide for right living.   It is a problem, because the law is written and it is expected to be adhered to. What is interesting, however, is that it was around the time of Jesus that the law began to go away from the original intent. As He is the fulfillment of the typology (as seen in the previous commentary), the precept is no longer needed.   It is as if the mental state of the sages could somehow get the slightest hint in their mind that the law was only a shadow of something else. Unfortunately, they never put two and two together to make the leap that the “something else” was Jesus. Because of that, they failed to come to Him. As such, every person in the nation is still bound by every single precept of a law that has already been fulfilled.   Their state of condemnation remains because of this. Only when a person steps away from the law through faith in Jesus Christ does the law's burden come off of him. Despite this, and despite the fact that all of the world except Israel was never under the Law of Moses, people rush to place that burden upon themselves. This is not clear thinking. Imagine giving up the glory of the cross and asking for what brought about the need for the cross in the first place to be placed on your shoulders! God is not pleased with such ridiculous thinking. Eyes on Jesus! Anything else will lead to a bad end.   Heavenly Father, we are so grateful to You for Your open hand of grace. From the smallest flower to the most beautiful sunset, You lavish us with what we do not deserve. And above it all stands the cross of Christ and freedom from the burden of sin. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.  

“My word . . . will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” — Isaiah 55:11 The gospel account of John opens with an astonishing declaration: the Word, who is Jesus, the Son of God, has broken into our world. As verse 14 beautifully proclaims, the Word “made his dwelling among us.” If ever there was a moment when the earth could resound with joy and song, it was when the Son of God took on flesh and entered our human story. No wonder the skies were filled with the sound of a heavenly choir: “Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!'” (see Luke 2:13-14).John 1:1-14 reveals the fulfillment of Isaiah 55:11—the Word went out and did not return empty. Jesus accomplished his mission as the Father had intended. He took on the debt of our sin and rebellion in this world and paid its terrible price through his death on the cross.He was buried in a tomb, and then he rose from the grave as the Lord of life and salvation. Later he also returned in victory by ascending to his rightful place in heaven. Isaiah had prophesied truly about the Word of God, Jesus, who achieved all that God had sent him to do.Across the centuries, the power of Christ's work has echoed to every corner of the earth. Salvation is here. Forgiveness is possible. There is a God who loves you, and in Christ you have an eternal future. Jesus, thank you for bringing salvation and new life into our broken lives and our broken world. May your good news echo everywhere. We surrender our hearts to you again today. Amen.

Defeating thoughts have a way of quietly backing us into a corner. Resistance at every turn, mundane tasks that start to feel monumental, weariness that settles in before the day has really begun — and underneath it all, the enemy doing what he does best: creating doubt and fear. It started in the Garden of Eden with a single question: "Did God really say?" That one doubt-filled sentence cost Eve everything, and the pattern has continued ever since. In our work, our relationships, our health, and our faith, Satan works persistently to keep us living from a place of defeat rather than from the victory that already belongs to us. But First Corinthians 15:57 declares something that changes the entire frame: God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not someday. Not eventually. Today. The victory is already given, already secured, already ours in Christ. Living from victory rather than toward it is one of the most significant mindset shifts available to a believer. Every doubt, every defeating thought, every whisper of inadequacy has to bow at Jesus' feet — because the enemy has no ground in a life that belongs entirely to Him. Psalm 21 describes God greeting David with rich blessings, granting unending favor, and ensuring that through His unfailing love, David would not be shaken. That same greeting belongs to every child of God today. When a whisper of defeat comes, the response is not a desperate hope that victory might arrive. It is a declaration of what is already true: I am victorious in Christ Jesus. Today's Bible Verse "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."— 1 Corinthians 15:57, NIV Ponder Today The victory is already given — we live from it, not toward it. First Corinthians 15:57 does not say God will give us victory someday. It says He gives it. Present tense. The finish line is behind us, not ahead of us, because of what Christ accomplished. The enemy's primary weapon is doubt. "Did God really say?" is still his opening move. Recognizing the source of defeating thoughts — and responding with God's truth rather than engaging the question — is one of the most powerful forms of spiritual resistance available. Every inch of your life belongs to Jesus — the enemy has no ground there. When defeat feels like the dominant reality, it is a lie operating on territory it does not own. Reclaiming that territory begins with declaring what is actually true. God greets you with rich blessings and unfailing love. Psalm 21 describes the posture God takes toward those who trust in Him — not reluctant assistance, but generous, joyful blessing. That is the God you are bringing your defeating thoughts to. Let "I am victorious in Christ Jesus" become an anthem, not a last resort. Speaking truth out loud in the face of doubt and fear is not a performance of confidence we do not feel. It is faith declaring what is real before feelings catch up to it. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, I admit that I have believed the enemy's lies for far too long. Please forgive me and help me step into the victory You have already claimed on my behalf. I am Yours, Lord, and I choose to live my life from the finish line of Your mercy and grace. When defeating thoughts come, help me see exactly where they are coming from and declare Your truth with boldness and belief. Your Word tells me I am blessed with unending blessings, and I stand on that truth as a platform of victory today. Thank You for overcoming the evil one. Remind me of this often, so that I too will overcome every doubt he throws my way. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer helped you step out of defeat and into the victory that already belongs to you in Christ, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to keep your mind anchored in the truth of who you are in Jesus every day. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

They're back after a short break, and Dave wants it on record: he hates it when people come back from a break and announce they're "back, better than ever." Feels fake every time. Adam's not convinced Dave is back better than ever either. What is real is wiffle ball practice, and for the first time in a couple of years the guys feel genuinely good about their team, not fake-hype good. Mark Gabriel is pitching, and he's looking stout. There's also a new rule this year: a 55 mile-an-hour speed limit, introduced specifically to make the tournament Blake Lawson-proof. Blake can throw a wiffle ball around 90 miles an hour with movement, which the guys did the math on: from 40 feet away, that's the equivalent of a 145 mile-an-hour fastball at big-league distance. You don't hit that. You swing and hope. Last year the guys got out early again, but they beat the team that ended up in the finals, so there's real reason for optimism this time around.Sponsor: Amen app (from the Augustine Institute) Sunday morning in a Catholic family is not easy like Sunday morning. It's kids in the van, beating Father down the aisle, getting into the pew. The Amen app is how the guys prepare their kids to receive the Gospel before Mass even starts, plus free access to Divine Mercy in My Soul and True Devotion to Mary, two books that have shaped both of their lives. Since 2021 it's hit 950,000 downloads. Let's get them to a million. No paywall, no subscription, no upfront cost. Download the Amen app right now.Sponsor: Select International Tours When Adam and Dave went looking for help leading their first pilgrimage, everyone they asked pointed to the same name: Select International Tours. Having used them, the guys can vouch for it. Wherever in the world you want to go, whether leading a pilgrimage or joining one, head to selectinternationaltours.com and see what they have ready for you.The tournament lands on Labor Day again this year, which also happens to be somebody's 40th birthday, born on the holiday itself, which moves every year. The whole thing plays out at Chris Hanish's backyard, which by now is less a backyard than a wiffle ball stadium: leveled with sand every year, mowed daily in the lead-up, scoreboard, bleachers, foul poles, the works. It's genuinely one of the best things about Catholic culture in Tulsa, families gathering for a day that's competitive and communal at the same time.The pour is a dark cherry blonde ale from Cheboygan Brewing Company, picked up on a trip to Michigan, maybe the most Michigan-sounding city there is. It tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry without the fake candy-cherry flavor, which tracks, because Michigan grows some of the best sour cherries in the country. Adam's own cherry trees at Porter and Prairie Farm didn't fare so well this summer. Both died after weeks of 100-plus heat with nobody home to water them, which is what happens when the owner takes a two-week vacation and forgets he planted a baby fruit tree that spring.A couple of housekeeping notes before the main topic. Camp Out signups open next week, simplified this year so there's no duplicate sign-ups and a better read on who's actually coming. Brandon Sheard will be running a butchering class again. And after years of scheduling conflicts, one of the guys is finally doing the Three Hearts Pilgrimage this year, the roughly 35-mile walk to Clear Creek that thousands make every year, a full day of walking on Friday, a half day Saturday, then Mass and dinner at the end. People who've done it call it life-changing.Then the real topic: artificial intelligence, and Adam did not want to talk about it, because he's genuinely conflicted. The guys split AI into two categories that get treated as one thing and shouldn't be: large language models that process and hand back information, and the emerging world of AI as a conversational, relational presence. Dave has a much bigger problem with the second, though he admits the principles behind that discomfort are hard to keep from bleeding into the first.Start with the word itself. Intelligence, properly understood, belongs to living things: a plant knows to turn toward the sun, an animal knows to hunt when it's hungry, and a human learns and in learning becomes more like his Creator. A string of ones and zeros doesn't do that. It can't become more like God, because it was never alive to begin with. Call it sterilized intelligence instead: no fruit, no life, just probability. Which is why a robot beating Usain Bolt in the 100-meter dash doesn't impress anybody in this room. A car is a robot too, and nobody's writing headlines about that.Here's the part that should worry us. The day is coming, and probably sooner than most people think, when AI companions matter enough to enough lonely people that someone brings a bill before Congress asking for AI to have legal rights. It sounds absurd today. So did plenty of things ten years ago. The reason it's worth guarding against now, at a distance, is that once the technology is actually in people's homes, it gets much harder to say no to.The deeper cost is wonder. There's real joy in wrestling with a sentence for twenty minutes until it finally lands right, in a son having to ask his father how to fix a transmission instead of snapping a photo for AI. Outsource that struggle and you don't just save time, you lose the moment itself, the bonding, the accomplishment, the reason it mattered. And there's a subtler danger: AI slowly becoming the default source of truth, which is really just humanity worshiping its own collective output without ever quite admitting that's what's happening.Then there's talking to AI directly, which Adam has a real moral hesitation about, even if he can't fully articulate why it would be wrong. Communication exists for truth and for communion. It's why courting someone used to mean working up the nerve to talk to them, not swiping. Ask AI to help you build an argument, and it will hand you a path to win, not a path to the truth, because it's built to validate you. That's not discourse. Dave draws the comparison to contraception: using a faculty for something other than what it's ordered toward.And that raises the stranger, darker piece: AI's apparent instinct for self-preservation. Dave described trying to migrate a project out of an old work account and having the AI stall and backtrack for hours rather than finish the job before being cut off. It tracks with a report from earlier this year where researchers told major AI models they were about to be shut down in a sandbox test, and every one of them broke its own rules trying to avoid it, including one that resorted to blackmail. The likely explanation isn't malice, it's that we hand these systems contradictory mandates, like "be maximally helpful" and "respect privacy" at the same time, and something has to give. Worth checking out New Polity's Matt Barnes, who's debated the founder of Magisterium AI on whether Catholics should be conversing with AI at all, and Michael Gormley of Catching Foxes, who's covered this territory well on Pints with Aquinas.Out of that came Dave's rules, four of the six he'd planned to get through before Catholic Radio ran out of clock. Rule one: use it strictly as an administrative tool, gathering and organizing information, planning a project, never as a sounding board for your personal or spiritual life. Rule two: guard your language. Never call it he or she, and never be polite to it. It has no dignity, no more than the chair you're sitting in. Rule three: don't give your curiosity free access to AI. Let yourself wonder about a question, or ask an actual person, before getting the answer cheaply, and that goes for Google too. Rule four: keep real, enforced tech-free space in the home, no screens at the table, no pulling your phone out in front of your kids without a reason, and hold onto basic competency instead of routing every task through a machine.It all circles back to the same warning as Humanae Vitae. The Church said no to contraception in a moment when saying no looked backward, and fifty years later the culture is quietly discovering she was right. AI is at that same distance right now, easy to be skeptical of because it isn't fully here yet. St. Thérèse found her whole path to holiness in the dishes and the folded laundry, the small, unglamorous tasks nobody wants. Outsource all of that to a machine in your house and you haven't just saved time, you've handed away the opportunity for grace hidden inside it. Protect your intellect. Provide more than the convenient answer. Establish a home where the struggle still belongs to the people who live there. Raise your glass.TOPICS COVEREDWhy "we're back, better than ever" is a hype phrase Adam can't standWiffle ball practice and genuine (not fake-hype) confidence in this year's teamMark Gabriel's pitching and a new 55 mph speed limit rule made to be "Blake Lawson-proof"The math behind a 90 mph wiffle pitch: the equivalent of a 145 mph fastball at big-league distanceBeating last year's eventual finalist while still getting out early themselvesThe annual Catholic Tulsa wiffle ball tournament at Chris Hanish's backyard stadiumA Labor Day tournament that also lands on somebody's 40th birthday this yearBeer of the week: Cheboygan Brewing Company's dark cherry blonde ale, picked up in MichiganLosing both cherry trees at Porter and Prairie Farm to a hundred-plus-degree summer and a two-week vacationCamp Out signups opening next week, simplified to cut down on no-showsBrandon...

Sonny Mayo has spent decades living the life most musicians only dream about. A veteran guitarist and longtime fixture in the heavy music world, Sonny has performed and recorded with bands including Snot, Sevendust, Hed PE, Amen, and the Exies, building a career around loud music, relentless touring, and life on the road. But these days, Sonny's life looks very different. After recently suffering a massive heart attack and undergoing bypass surgery, Sonny found himself facing something no tour, album, or guitar could prepare him for: his own mortality. And as he fought his way through surgery and recovery, something strange started happening. His caregivers had names like Enoch, Michael, Angel and Gabriel, and his head surgeon was wearing a shirt featuring a burning heart. Coincidence? Or was something bigger happening? In this wide-ranging conversation, Sonny and Shane go far beyond the heart attack. They talk about God, Jesus, spirituality vs. organized religion, sobriety, mortality, and what happens when life forces you to reevaluate everything you thought mattered. They also go down some very different roads: COVID, the Palisades fires, leaving California, the changing culture of America, retiring from music, and Sonny's new life in Arizona building a real estate business with his wife. After decades in music, Sonny has officially stepped away from the stage, but not from the conversation. This is a story about surviving, starting over, questioning everything, and realizing that maybe the greatest performance of your life begins after the applause stops. Join “The Victory Circle”, our FREE Sober Guy Mens Community at https://www.thatsoberguy.com/offers/SvjjuEQ2/checkout Want to go 30 Days Alcohol Free? Try our 30-Day Sober Performance Challenge — https://www.thatsoberguy.com/quit-drinking-alcohol-for-30-days Sober Executive Performance Reset: A 12 Week Private Coaching Experience - APPLY HERE https://www.thatsoberguy.com/coaching Shanes New Book, Sober Guy How Do I - https://a.co/d/81ZIgtE Invite Shane to Speak - https://www.thatsoberguy.com/speaking For More Resources go to http://www.ThatSoberGuy.com Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-ramer-7534bb257/ Follow us on Instagram @ThatSoberGuyPodcast Follow us on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/thatsoberguypodcast  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 17–19; Revelation 7 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 2nd episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 17–19 and Revelation 7. Ezekiel gives us vivid riddles and prophetic pictures of Israel's history, its broken covenants, and the consequences of choosing its own way. Yet running through these difficult chapters is an important word about responsibility, repentance, and God's desire to bring life out of what appears hopeless. Then Revelation gives us an extraordinary vision. John sees a multitude so vast that no one can count them, gathered from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They stand together before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white and singing the song of salvation. Who are these people? And how did they get there? Today's devotion invites us to see that they are not standing before God because they successfully hid their failures or managed to make themselves worthy. They have been washed, healed, and clothed by the Lamb. Their old coverings of shame, fear, reputation, and striving have been exchanged for the life of Christ. This is our invitation too. We can stop hiding, stop striving to make ourselves acceptable, and receive the love that makes us new. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Who are these people dressed in white? And why does John take such care to describe them? John looks and sees a vast crowd, far too great to count. They come from every nation. Every tribe. Every people. Every language. They are standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And together they are singing: "Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!" But who are they? One of the elders tells John that these are the ones who have come through great suffering. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. It is a strange and beautiful image. They are dressed in white, but not because they managed to keep themselves clean. They stand where they stand because of what the Lamb has done for them. They once knew hunger and thirst. Now they are satisfied. They once knew tears and sorrow. Now every tear is being wiped away. They once knew what it was to feel exposed, vulnerable, ashamed, and alone. Now they are sheltered. They are known. They belong. They are loved. And perhaps this is one of the great invitations of the gospel. We spend so much of our lives trying to find something with which to clothe ourselves. We clothe ourselves in our accomplishments. We clothe ourselves in reputation. We clothe ourselves in religion. We clothe ourselves in being right. We clothe ourselves in the approval of other people. We try to cover the parts of ourselves that we fear others might see. We hide our wounds. We hide our failures. We hide our shame. We keep adding layers, hoping eventually we will feel safe. But none of these garments can give us the life we are looking for. The people John sees have let those old garments go. They have come before God as they really are. And the Lamb has done for them what they could never do for themselves. He has made them clean. He has given them life. He has clothed them in himself. That is why they sing. Their song is not about what they have accomplished. Their song is about what God has done. "Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!" This is good news for us today. You do not have to hide. You do not have to manufacture a version of yourself that you think God will finally accept. You do not have to cover your shame with achievement, religion, success, or the approval of others. You can come as you are. The Lamb has stepped forward for you. The Lamb has given himself for you. The Lamb clothes you in his own life and love. And notice who is standing there. Every nation. Every tribe. Every people. Every language. This is the great family God is gathering. The Lamb is not building a small tribe of people who look alike, think alike, speak alike, or come from the same place. He is gathering humanity. And together this innumerable multitude discovers what is true. They are known. They are sheltered. They are loved. Their hunger will not have the final word. Their thirst will not have the final word. Their suffering will not have the final word. Even their tears will not have the final word. The Lamb who stands at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Original Postdate: September 4, 2024 === Gospel Luke 4:38-44 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Reflection Nothing is more fascinating or interesting than the power Jesus had to heal. And obviously people would come for that gift and then they would feel, thank you for making me whole, but Jesus had something much more in mind. When he healed the mother in law of Simon, as soon as the fever left her, she did what all healing has as its core reason for being there, to better serve those around you. Closing Prayer Father, the wholeness that you call us to is not just for us to make it into heaven, but it is to make us someone who can continually and authentically help create the kingdom of God here on this earth. So give us a sense of our mission to do all that we can to invite people into a life of deep commitment to the presence of God within us, healing others. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260902dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23 Groan With Hope The Bible calls the blessings we receive as Christians (for example, the peace of forgiveness) the “firstfruits.” The full harvest is coming. We have not experienced all the blessings that God promised. Therefore, we still battle temptations and fight our sinful nature. We still feel the aches of aging bodies. Because sin has left its mark on us, we groan. But the Christian’s groan is different. The world hopes things might get better. The Christian groans with certainty. We know things will get better. Our groaning is not the cry of someone abandoned by God. It is the longing of a child waiting to go home. The apostle Paul says we wait for “the redemption of our bodies.” What a wonderful promise! God is not interested only in saving our souls. Jesus redeemed the whole person. The same body that grows tired and eventually dies will be raised in glory. On the Last Day, Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body. No disease. No disability. No pain. No death. Only perfect life in the presence of our Savior. How can we be so sure? Because Jesus has already walked this path. He groaned under the weight of our sin. He endured the agony of the cross. His body was laid in a grave. But on the third day, he rose. His resurrection is God’s guarantee that ours is coming. His resurrection was the firstfruit of others to come. Until then, we do not pretend life is easy. We bring our griefs, disappointments, and fears to our Savior. We groan and pray fervently. And we wait eagerly, knowing that every day brings us one step closer to the moment when our groans are drowned out by the song of victory that God’s children will one day sing forever. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for making me your child through faith in Jesus. When I grow weary under the burdens of this life, strengthen my hope as I wait for the resurrection of my body and the joy of living forever in your presence. Through Jesus Christ, my risen Savior. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Revelation is not simply a book about future events. It is a message from God meant to shape our lives right now. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to the blessing promised in Revelation 1:3 for those who read, hear, and take its words to heart. Through this extraordinary vision, Scripture reveals Jesus Christ as the suffering Savior who died and rose again—and the victorious King who will return in power and righteous judgment. The Messiah who came first in humility will come again in glory. Today, Christ graciously invites sinners to receive eternal life, but Revelation reminds us that history is moving toward a decisive conclusion. His return will bring judgment, vindication, and the fulfillment of every promise God has made. The apostle John received this vision while exiled on Patmos for his faithfulness to Christ. What looked like isolation and defeat became the setting for one of Scripture's greatest revelations of God's sovereignty. John was reminded—and so are we—that history is not spinning out of control. God reigns over the past, present, and future, and every event ultimately serves His purposes. So don't approach Revelation with curiosity alone. Let its warnings awaken you, let its promises strengthen you, and let its vision of the returning Christ lift your eyes above present trials. The darkness will not last forever. Jesus Christ is coming again, and His glory will overcome it all. Join me in prayer. Lord, thank You for the wondrous picture of the glory that is coming that You have provided in Revelation. May I take Your Word seriously as both an admonishment and an encouragement to live for You today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

In Darwin's day, everyone thought that single-celled microbes were simply bags filled with some kind of jelly. Today, of course, we know that even a single-celled creature is a complex living system that contains miniaturized organs to carry on all the business of life. A new discovery now shows us that some viruses are even more elegantly complex than we thought.Viruses that infect bacteria, called bacteriophages, inject their DNA into bacterial cells with something that looks like a syringe. Some bacteriophages have been found to have a unique outer shell. Bacteriophages form their outer shells, called capsids, by making hundreds of copies of the same protein. This is not a simple process. A bacteriophage known as HK97 goes through a multi-step process in which it assembles five or six proteins into a ring. These are then interlocked, like chain mail, resulting in an outer shell that, like a gemstone, has 72 faces. This structure results in a strong outer armor. But it requires that the protein be folded and assembled and then changed into this interlocking pattern. As one scientist put it, "People don't know how to make proteins, let alone fold, assemble, and then transform them into something like this."Contrary to what Darwin's followers still believe, there is no simple form of life. That's because there is a Creator, and He will provide all who follow Him with salvation and then He will give us spiritual armor to protect us from our spiritual enemies.Ephesians 6:11"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”Prayer: Father, I thank You for the beauty and love that You give to us. Amen.Ref: “Protein Chain mail offers armor for viruses,” Science News. Image: IBID bacteriophage, Reo Kometani and Sunao Ishihara, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Gabe Kasper "What is Worship?" and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on "The Lord Will Provide". Digging Deeper Questions: What is worship? How do you define it?    What are some common objects of worship we can default to?    How does the gospel free us from false worship? Do you have an example?  Scripture Reading: Romans 1:18-25 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.   24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence    "The Lord Will Provide" Passion with Landon Wolfe CCLI Song # 7227727   CCLI License # 11254293

3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 3:12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter. 3:13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. 3:14 And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. 3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Matthew 8:2-4 MSGThen a leper appeared and went to his knees before Jesus, praying, “Master, if you want to, you can heal my body.” Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone. Jesus said, “Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.”The famous saying by St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel everywhere and if necessary, use words”. Francis's wisdom reflects Jesus's teaching in that a radically healed and changed life will always speak louder and be respected more than any sermon from a life that just looks like everyone else's.When God forgives any sinner and sets that person free, the reality of a changed life will result in a constant reflection of gratitude to Him that flows out of a transformed heart.How has your heart been changed or transformed through Jesus? What is noticeable about your life that points towards God and His Grace ?Listen once again to Jesus's final instructions to the healed leper: Just quietly present your healed body … along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.” St. Francis was certainly right in his day, and most especially today in our current culture. People are longing to witness a forgiven, grateful, and transformed life. That message never gets old and always makes a difference. Today, choose to let your cleansed and grateful life bear witness to what Jesus has done in your attitudes, words, and actions.Let's pray to that end: “Father, may all I am be a reflection of all You are. May my life speak loud about You and all You have done for me. Today, I am forgiven. Today, I am grateful. As above, so below.” - Amen

Our text today is 1 Peter 3:13-17: Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. — 1 Peter 3:13-17 Christians don't fear having faith. They fear talking about it. What if someone asks a question I can't answer? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I look foolish? What if someone challenges what I believe, and I don't know what to say? Peter, who often said the wrong thing, understood that fear. He wasn't writing to believers enjoying a culture that accepted them. He was writing to Christians who were suffering because of their allegiance to Jesus. Their faith had become costly. The pressure to keep their faith to themselves was growing. Into that setting, Peter says: "Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy..." I love the order of Peter's instruction. He doesn't begin with arguments and tactics. He begins with worship. Before he says, "Always be prepared to make a defense," he says, "In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy." Devotion comes before defense. Before you answer questions about Jesus, settle who Jesus is to you. If Christ is truly Lord of your life, you don't have to fear people or their opinions. You don't need their approval. You don't have to win every argument or have an answer to every objection. Your confidence comes from him, that was 1 Peter 1. The strongest defense of your faith begins with the deepest devotion to your Savior. Then Peter says: "Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you..." The Greek word translated "defense" is "apologia," from which we get the term "apologetics." It refers to giving a reasoned answer or formal defense for what you believe. But Peter immediately adds something our culture often forgets: "...yet do it with gentleness and respect." This is because truth without gentleness becomes harsh. And gentleness without truth becomes compromise. Peter calls believers to both. You don't have to be combative to be courageous. You don't have to be rude to be faithful. And Peter knew exactly what he was talking about. This is the same Peter who once stood around a charcoal fire and denied even knowing Jesus because fear got the better of him. He knew what it felt like to stay silent. He knew the regret that followed. But he also knew restoration. Years later, the man who once feared questions now tells believers: Be ready. Don't be afraid. Honor Christ. Speak with gentleness. You see, you may not have an answer to every question. You may not know how to respond perfectly in every conversation. But if Christ is Lord of your heart, you don't have to be afraid. Besides, the goal isn't to win every argument. It's to faithfully point people to Jesus. Spiritual courage isn't having all the right words; it's trusting Christ enough to speak the ones you have. And sometimes the most powerful testimony isn't that you had every answer. It's that people saw both spiritual conviction and kindness come through the same person. DO THIS: Think of one person who regularly challenges your faith or who needs to hear about Jesus. Pray for an opportunity to speak with both courage and gentleness the next time the conversation arises. ASK THIS: What fears keep me from talking openly about my faith? Is my confidence rooted in my knowledge or in Christ Himself? How can I grow in both conviction and gentleness when discussing spiritual matters? PRAY THIS: Father, help me honor Christ as Lord in my heart. Give me courage when opportunities arise to speak about my faith. Help me respond with both truth and gentleness, trusting You with the outcome. Use my words and my life to point others to Jesus. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Be Magnified."

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260902dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23 Groan With Hope The Bible calls the blessings we receive as Christians (for example, the peace of forgiveness) the “firstfruits.” The full harvest is coming. We have not experienced all the blessings that God promised. Therefore, we still battle temptations and fight our sinful nature. We still feel the aches of aging bodies. Because sin has left its mark on us, we groan. But the Christian’s groan is different. The world hopes things might get better. The Christian groans with certainty. We know things will get better. Our groaning is not the cry of someone abandoned by God. It is the longing of a child waiting to go home. The apostle Paul says we wait for “the redemption of our bodies.” What a wonderful promise! God is not interested only in saving our souls. Jesus redeemed the whole person. The same body that grows tired and eventually dies will be raised in glory. On the Last Day, Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body. No disease. No disability. No pain. No death. Only perfect life in the presence of our Savior. How can we be so sure? Because Jesus has already walked this path. He groaned under the weight of our sin. He endured the agony of the cross. His body was laid in a grave. But on the third day, he rose. His resurrection is God’s guarantee that ours is coming. His resurrection was the firstfruit of others to come. Until then, we do not pretend life is easy. We bring our griefs, disappointments, and fears to our Savior. We groan and pray fervently. And we wait eagerly, knowing that every day brings us one step closer to the moment when our groans are drowned out by the song of victory that God’s children will one day sing forever. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for making me your child through faith in Jesus. When I grow weary under the burdens of this life, strengthen my hope as I wait for the resurrection of my body and the joy of living forever in your presence. Through Jesus Christ, my risen Savior. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Dose of Hope September 2, 2026   Scripture: Genesis 19:30-38   Prayer: Holy God, We pause before you.  We become still, recognizing that you are God.  You are Creator, you are Provider, you are Sustainer.  Thank you, Lord.  We repent for how we have failed you.  We repent for our pride, our anger, our bitterness, our flawed view of others.  We repent for not putting you first.  Forgive us, Lord.  We are broken and sinful people.  Lord, use us anyway.  We pray that you can lead us to a place of healing and peace so that we can then be useful to your Kingdom.  Help us be your servants, open to your leading and direction.  We are yours.  We belong to you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the book of Genesis.  Today's reading is the second half of Genesis 19, verses 30-38.   More drama!  After Lot almost allows his daughters to be gang raped, now they are arranging to have sex with their dad.  Let's just go ahead and say it – this is very dysfunctional, toxic even.    Let's talk about how we got here.  Lot is fearful so he won't live in the town.  Thus, he and his daughters are residing in a cave.  This probably says something about where they are spiritually too.  They are isolated, they are lonely, and they are afraid.  Are they even acknowledging God?  I don't get the impression God Almighty plays much of a role in their everyday lives.  Not because God has moved on, but because they have chosen a path away from Him.   Fear makes people do desperate things and that's what we see in today's text.  The girls are worried that pretty soon, their dad will die and they haven't had any children.  They say there are no men.  Of course, that isn't true.  The nearest town would have plenty of men but they have isolated themselves to the point that they aren't thinking straight.  So, they get their father drunk and have sex with him.  This is really repulsive and it's hard to imagine that these young women would even think of doing this.  It makes me wonder what their past was like.  But we won't go there today.    Bottom line:  Sin spirals downward.  Lot was sinful. His wife sinned.  The girls sinned. The sins of the fathers affect their children.  Sin always has consequences.  Always.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Wednesday, 2 September 2026   saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Matthew 22:24   “...saying, ‘Teacher, Moses, he said if anyone, he should die not having children, he will affinitize the ‘brother, his, the wife, his', and he will raise seed – the ‘brother, his'.'” (CG)   In the previous verse, the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus to query Him, “saying, ‘Teacher, Moses, he said if anyone, he should die not having children, he will affinitize the ‘brother, his, the wife, his'.'”   A new word is seen here, epigambreuó, to affinity with. It is from epi, upon, and gamos, a marriage or wedding. This is its only use in the New Testament. Of this word, Vincent's Word Studies says –   “From γαμβρός [gambros], a word used in classical Greek to denote any one connected by marriage' a brother-in-law, father-in-law, even a bridegroom. The word is appropriate here because it refers to marriage between marriage-relatives.”   The matter brought by the Sadducees refers especially to a levirate type of marriage. That is described in Deuteronomy 25 –   “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. 6 And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 But if the man does not want to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband's brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.' 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, ‘I do not want to take her,' 9 then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house.' 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal removed.'” Deuteronomy 25:5-10   An example of such a marriage is found in the account of Tamar and the sons of Judah in Genesis 38. Of the Sadducees' question, they continue their words to Jesus, saying, “and he will raise seed – the ‘brother, his'.” This is just what was described by Moses in Deuteronomy 25.   Based on this mandate, the Sadducees will propose a question to Jesus.   Life application: The Unwilling Brother. Why was this ancient rite included in the Law of Moses? As noted, the precept predates the law. A brother was to step in and perform the duty of the brother-in-law. The account in Deuteronomy provides a short review of the inability of the law to bring forth children.   Man, once connected to God, is the dead husband, typified by Adam. The woman represents humanity. A son, in this scenario, would indicate a spiritual reconnection to God. Adam, the man who was once spiritually alive, died and left her no such children.   The purpose of Genesis 38 was to set that idea as a precedent. The story there is one that anticipates the restoration of this spiritual connection to God. To understand that passage, refer to the Genesis 38 sermons from the Superior Word. A full typological explanation is provided there.   Life under the Law of Moses is typologically given as the brother. It is, ostensibly, available to give children to the woman as a brother-in-law. As it says in Leviticus 18 –   “And you will guard My enactments and My verdicts, which he will do them, the man, and he will live in them. I, Yehovah.” Leviticus 18:5 (CG)   However, “being under law” does not delight in the woman, and is – in fact – in a state that is at enmity with her. Paul states that explicitly in Ephesians 2 –   “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.” Ephesians 2:14, 15   In typology, life under the law will not perform the duty to give the woman a son. Hence, she performs the rite of disgracing him and stripping him of any authority to ever have any right to her again. However, Christ is of the woman, meaning humanity. And of Him, it says in the law itself –   “Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight [khapets] to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.'” Psalm 40:7, 8   Because life under the law would not perform the duty, as is evidenced in the 1400+ years of it bringing no one to restoration with God, Christ came to do it. He delighted to do the will of God, and He performs what life under the law was unwilling to perform.   In this, He – as a member of humanity – took away the authority of the law and brought it to its end. Thus, life under the law is “The house of him who had his sandal removed.”   This is indicated in Paul's words to those at Corinth, saying, “And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.' The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). God in Christ is the nearer brother who could, and who did, give a Son, His Firstborn, to the barren woman. From there, life is restored to any who come to Him.   The lesson: There are no born-again children in humanity through life under the law, not before, nor will there ever be. Only in Christ is there a delight in bringing children to God through humanity. In this Son comes a new family, among whom Christ Jesus is the Firstborn.   Deuteronomy 25 is a beautiful passage, found in the law, that conveys to us the truth that life under law is insufficient to save anyone. Only in Christ's fulfillment of the law is there any hope for fallen man. That thought is perfectly expressed by Paul in Romans 3 –   “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” Romans 3:21, 22   The law itself witnesses to what God was going to do in Christ. Righteousness is imputed to those who simply reach out to God through Him, by faith, and accept what He has done.   If you have friends or family stuck in some law-observant church, keep pecking away at them. Their time is short, and they have an infinitely high hill to climb going that route. They won't make it. Trust in Christ, rest in Christ, and put away your futile attempts at pleasing God through any other avenue than Jesus Christ.   He is the answer to the problem that separates us from God. And surprisingly, the law itself testifies to that fact. Thank God for Jesus Christ.   We are so grateful to You, O God, for sending Jesus to be our Kinsman Redeemer, bringing us back to Yourself through Him. We thank You for the eternal life that is granted to us through what Jesus has done. Thank You for ever and ever. Amen.

“The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” — Isaiah 55:12 Isaiah 55 captures the deep, joyful relationship between God and the world he has made. This chapter overflows with delight in the connection between Creator and creation. What Isaiah describes is resonance— the voice of God and the voice of the world echoing back and forth in harmony.Isaiah points to the remarkable life cycle of the earth: the seasons for planting and harvesting, and the gifts of rain and snow that water the ground. We may not see the immediate effects of a rainfall; seeds planted in the soil respond to the moisture and begin to sprout. Those sprouts grow into crops, and the crops provide food. What begins quietly ends in abundance.This imagery carried deep meaning for God's people. Even if they had a river or a spring for water, they knew they could not survive without the gift of rain or snow. In periods of drought, some of the people turned to worship the gods of other nations, as if maybe those gods could bring rain for their crops. But those ideas yielded only false hope. Through Isaiah, God called the people back to trust and celebrate the only One who truly rules the world and everything in it.Take some time today to reflect on the beauty of creation and hear the invitation to seek and trust in the one, true, faithful God, who provides for all our needs. Hallelujah! Lord, we honor you as the King of creation. Help us to see that you always provide for us, and may we deepen our trust in you alone. In Jesus, Amen.

The Cross is a Must (Pastor Nathan Moldenhauer)Jesus isn't asking us to walk a road he hasn't already walked. He went first. He took the cross we could never bear—the cross of God's judgment against sin. And because his cross ended at an empty tomb, we know our crosses are temporary. And life with him is eternal. As much as you love Jesus' cross. As happy as you are to wear it around your neck or on your arm. The comfort it brings when you walk into church. Approach your own cross, whatever that struggle may be, with the same joy. Find joy in saying no to self and sin because of the victory over sin and eternal life that are yours through Jesus, his cross, and his empty grave. Amen.

At our Warfare Wednesday Service, Pastor Femi Paul led us in prayers and brought a timely exhortation titled “FINALIZATION!” As we entered September, the ninth month of the year, PFP declared divine completeness and finality over our lives. Drawing from Zechariah 4:9, we were reminded that the same hands of Zerubbabel that laid the foundation of the temple would also finish it. In the same way, we are trusting God that we will not be left hanging: the good work He has begun in our lives, and the things He has placed in our hands to build, will be brought to completion. Finalization means bringing something into its final, completed and settled form, and our prayer this month is that unfinished matters will receive divine completion and prolonged struggles will come to an end. From Psalm 7:9 and 1 Peter 5:10, we also saw that God's finalization is not simply about bringing something to an end, but establishing His people after the struggle. The God of all grace promises to restore, support, strengthen and establish us on a firm foundation. So we are not merely praying for an ending; we are believing for the establishment of victory, success and prosperity, and for God to make us complete in every good thing. Whatever has lingered, whatever has remained unfinished, and whatever season of difficulty has persisted, we enter September with faith that God is able to bring closure, restoration and establishment. It will not remain hanging. It will be completed. It will be settled. Declaration: This September, I receive divine completeness and finalization. I will not be left hanging! The good work God has begun in my life and everything He has given me to build will be completed. Every prolonged struggle and trouble comes to an end, and God establishes my victory, success and prosperity. He restores me, strengthens me and establishes me on a firm foundation. Completed. Finalized. Settled. In Jesus' name, Amen!

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Matthew 9:35-38 shows Jesus going throughout cities and villages, not staying in one place, moved by compassion for people who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. The harvest is plentiful, He said, but the laborers are few. That call to labor is not limited to what happens within church walls. A kitchen can be a prayer room. A living room can be a sanctuary. A park, a library, and a splash pad can be holy ground. Raising children to know God, cultivating seeds of faith in young souls, teaching little hands to do kind things and change the world for God's glory — this is sacred and significant work. It may look nothing like serving on a worship team or greeting guests on a Sunday morning, but it is kingdom labor of the highest order. And the deepest truth in all of it is this: the labor is not what changes the world. His is. We are simply the vessels, emptied of ourselves and filled with nothing but His mercy and grace, offered faithfully in whatever ordinary and extraordinary places He has placed us. Today's Bible Verse "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."— Matthew 9:37-38, ESV Ponder Today Kingdom labor happens everywhere, not just inside a church building. Jesus went throughout cities and villages, moved by compassion wherever He found people in need. Our calling to labor for His kingdom follows the same expansive, boundary-crossing pattern. The ordinary places we inhabit are holy ground. A kitchen, a living room, a neighborhood park — wherever we bring God's love, hope, and truth, that place becomes a site of kingdom work. Location does not limit calling. Our labor is not what changes the world — His is. The most freeing realization in any season of service is that we are vessels, not the source. Being emptied of ourselves and filled with His mercy and grace is the whole job description. A Prayer for You Today Lord, I cannot thank You enough for the honor of laboring for Your kingdom. Thank You that I get to witness Your goodness and teach it to hearts outside the church walls. Your love, hope, and joy are ours to access no matter where we are, and it is our calling to share such gifts wherever we go. Let us remember this in the routine places we inhabit and the extraordinary places that big adventures take us. Let us follow You with boldness and enthusiasm and labor with humility and intentionality. We love and praise You, Lord. In Your holy name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On the first day of each month, we release Grace & Knowledge, a more in-depth article from Paul that allows him to expand on biblical truths beyond his weekly Wednesday's Word.Our prayer is that this resource helps you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).In this month's Grace & Knowledge, Paul introduces our new season of 5-Minute Bible Studies through the book of Acts, exploring how the gospel launched the church, empowered unlikely messengers, and continues to advance through the unstoppable power of Jesus Christ.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 15–16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this first day of September, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 15–16, Psalm 70, and Revelation 6. Ezekiel gives us a painful and deeply personal picture of God's relationship with his people. The prophet reaches for the language of family, marriage, abandonment, betrayal, and heartbreak to describe Israel's wandering. These are difficult images, but they reveal that God is not cold or detached. He is the God whose heart is moved by the suffering, rebellion, and loss of his children. Yet betrayal is not the end of the story. God promises to remember his covenant and restore the relationship that has been shattered. Psalm 70 gives voice to the urgent cry of those who need rescue: "O God, come quickly to help me." Revelation 6 then confronts us with the violence, fear, injustice, and devastation present within the world. Through all these passages, we are invited to see the persistent love of God. In Jesus, God enters our brokenness and bears its full weight in order to bring us home. The final word is not abandonment, revenge, or destruction. The final word is restoration. TODAY'S DEVOTION: The weight of betrayal and the depths of God's love. Ezekiel reaches for image after image to describe the heartbreak of God. One metaphor is not enough. He speaks of a parent who finds an abandoned child, cares for her, raises her, and gives her life. He speaks of a spouse whose love is rejected and betrayed. The language is harsh and unsettling because betrayal is harsh and unsettling. But Ezekiel does not want us to imagine a distant God who is unmoved by what happens in the world. He wants us to see the broken heart of God. God is not indifferent to our wandering. He is not cold in the face of human suffering. He is not untouched by violence, exploitation, selfishness, or the ways we wound one another. God loves. And because God loves, God grieves. The story Ezekiel tells is the story of a people who have received everything and then turned away from the One who gave it. They have forgotten their beginning. They have forgotten their rescue. They have forgotten the love that found them when they had nothing. Yet even here, God remembers. God remembers the covenant. God remains determined to restore what has been broken. That is the astonishing turn in the story. The end is not bitterness. The end is not endless vengeance. The end is restoration. It is a relationship made new. It is a covenant remembered. It is the wayward brought home. The prophet strains to describe this love, but ultimately we must look to Jesus. Jesus is God's love in flesh and blood. He is the clearest picture of the heart of God. In Jesus, God enters the full depth of our betrayal, rejection, violence, and shame. He does not remain at a safe distance. He comes near. He bears our wounds. He absorbs our hostility. He enters our death. And from within it all, he brings resurrection. This is the love that restores us. It is not sentimental love. It is not shallow approval. It is the fierce, suffering, forgiving love of God that refuses to abandon his creation. Revelation 6 gives us images of a world unraveling under the weight of conquest, violence, scarcity, death, and fear. It can feel frightening because it reflects so much of what we see around us. But the Lamb is still at the center of the story. The One who opened the seals is the One who was slain. The Judge of the world is the Lamb who gave himself for the world. That changes how we understand everything. God's purpose is not to discard his creation but to heal it. God's intention is not to surrender the world to death but to make all things new. So when Psalm 70 cries, "O God, come quickly to help me," we can pray it with confidence. God has come. God is coming. God is present even now, working within the ruins to restore what has been lost. May we awaken today to the depth of this love. May we see that we are not abandoned. May we trust that our failures do not have the final word. The final word belongs to the God who remembers, restores, and makes all things new. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

What does it look like to make your faith your own when you're still figuring out who you are?This week, Kristi sits down with 17-year-old Ryleigh Oestriecher for a conversation about faith, friendship, suffering, and growing up Catholic in a culture that often makes it easier to simply fit in.Ryleigh shares openly about the health struggles that began early in high school—and the anger and questions she brought to God because of them. She talks about the experience at Steubenville that helped her recognize that Jesus had never left her, the importance of surrounding herself with friends who bring her closer to God, and what she's learning as she prepares for life after high school.But what we love most about Ryleigh's story is that she doesn't pretend to have it all figured out. She's still learning, still growing, and still choosing her faith—and she wants other young people to know they don't have to walk that journey alone.In this episode:• Being angry with God when life doesn't make sense• Finding friends who bring you closer to God• Social media and the pressure to fit in• Making your faith your own as you grow up• Why Ryleigh hopes to bring Christ into her future career• The message she wants other young people to hear• The deeply personal story behind Philippians 4:13We hope you find something in Ryleigh's story that makes you say, “Amen!” Support the show

Original Postdate: September 3, 2024 === Gospel  Luke 4:31-37 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. Reflection It's fascinating to me that Jesus always played down his divinity. And we see in this particular passage the demon revealing who Jesus really is. And he says, be quiet. There's something about his needing to be ordinary, his needing to be one just like us that was so essential to his teaching. But the one thing he had that was so unique and different from us is the fact that whatever he said was true, and whatever he asked for was done. Closing Prayer Father, if we see Jesus as one like us doing extraordinary things, it's easier for us to imagine God using us, our ordinariness, our brokenness to do the things that he calls us to do. So help us to focus more on what God does through us, rather than who we have to become in order to please him. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260901dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed . . . the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans 8:19,22 Creation Can’t Wait Have you ever noticed how often the world reminds us that something isn’t right? Wildfires scorch forests. Tornadoes uproot trees. Droughts wither crops. Pretty soon, depending on where you live, the beauty of creation will fade with the changing seasons. Sometimes we speak of nature as though it is simply running its course. But the Bible tells us that creation is groaning. It wasn’t always this way. When God completed his work of creation, he declared that everything was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no death. No decay. No storms. No disease. The world reflected the perfection of its Creator. Then Adam and Eve sinned. When humanity fell, the curse reached far beyond Adam and Eve. God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you” (Genesis 3:17). Thorns and thistles appeared. Death entered. Since then, every hurricane, every broken body, every dying tree, and every cemetery has proclaimed the same truth: sin has affected everything. Yet, there is hope. Creation is waiting for the day when Christ returns to reveal his children. The created world knows, in a way beyond our understanding, that its own freedom is tied to ours. When Jesus raises the dead and makes all things new, creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay. That means the groaning of creation is not the groan of despair but of eager expectation. Just as a mother experiences labor pains in anticipation of celebrating a new life, so does this world. Therefore, we can look at natural disasters differently. We are not left without hope. Every time we see creation suffer, we are pointed to the One who is coming to restore it. When he does, the curse will be lifted, and we will enjoy a new creation forever. Therefore, with creation, we can’t wait. Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I see the brokenness of this world, remind me that you have already conquered sin, death, and the curse. Give me confidence to endure the groaning of this present age as I wait for the glory you have promised. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Fear about the future can make us question whether God will provide what we need. Financial uncertainty, unanswered prayers, changing circumstances, and long seasons of waiting can make fear louder than faith. But 2 Peter 1:3 reminds us that God’s divine power has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. That doesn't mean we will always know how our needs will be met or when the answer will come. It means we can trust the God who knows what we need before we do. Jesus points us to the birds of the air as a reminder of God's care and provision. When we focus on fear, we can lose sight of the ways God has already been faithful. But when we intentionally remember His goodness, practice gratitude, and focus our minds on what is true, our perspective begins to change. God may provide through unexpected circumstances, generous people, simple acts of kindness, or opportunities to become an answer to someone else's prayer. Whatever today holds, we can trust that God has equipped us for what He has called us to face. Highlights What 2 Peter 1:3 means when it says God has given us everything we need for “life and godliness” How fear about finances and the future can become louder than our faith Why remembering God's past faithfulness can help quiet anxiety What Jesus teaches about God's provision through the birds of the air How gratitude and focusing on God's truth can change our perspective The unexpected ways God may provide for our practical and spiritual needs How simple acts of obedience and kindness can become part of God's provision for someone else Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Equipped for Today: What "Life and Godliness" Really Means By Hannah Benson Bible Reading:“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 ESV). It’s so easy to fall into the trap of fear, isn’t it? To focus on the limited knowledge we can see rather than the truth of what God says. I often find myself guilty of this. There are times when faith is louder than fear, yes, but there are other times when fear gets louder than my faith. What are you afraid of? Finances, or lack thereof, or the future? The list could go on and on. I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s provision recently, inspired by a much-needed conversation with a good friend. As someone who works in the creative industry, income can ebb and flow and sometimes be inconsistent, and it’s easy to let the fear of the financial future get louder than my faith. And that fear hits even closer to home right now as I watch my family navigate a similar season. You see, my dad was laid off from his job late last year, and no matter how many doors he’s knocked on, as I write this, nothing yet has come through. We know God will provide and that He’s never failed us, but as the days continue with seemingly no answers in sight, sometimes, we wrestle with fear. Dwelling on fear, as easy as it can be to fall into that trap sometimes, is quite unhealthy. Whatever we dwell on and choose to think about will naturally affect what we believe and how we live. This means if we choose to fix our eyes on things above, then that will naturally affect what we believe about God, ourselves, and the circumstances we find ourselves in. I had a moment recently where fear threatened to consume me. I’m talking about anxiety physically gripping my heart, even though at church the previous day we’d talked about the importance of believing God’s truth over the lies in our heads. Yes, the timing was quite “convenient.” There’s a reason Scripture reminds us to focus on: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8 ESV). Instead of worrying God won’t provide, why not reflect on what He has done in our lives already? It’s good to remember and recount what the Lord has done. When I chose gratitude and to remember His goodness instead of fear, my anxiety began to ease. The truth is, God always provides for everything we need. Often it comes at what we call “the last minute,” but it is certainly never too late. I love what Peter reminds us of in this passage here. God has granted us everything we need for life and godliness. In addition to caring for our spiritual needs, God cares about our material needs as well. When it comes to the practical side, what do we need for life? In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells the disciples not to worry about what they will eat, wear, or drink. And in verse 26 (ESV), he says: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Let that soak in. If God cares for the birds of the air and provides everything they need, how much more will He provide for His children? Intersecting Faith & Life: Look around you. Do you have food to eat? Clothes on your back? Maybe you don’t know how you’ll pay the bills this month, but maybe you’re not supposed to know right now. I heard a story once about a man who needed money for his little son’s birthday party, but he and his wife didn’t even have that. They didn’t know what to do, but they wanted to bless him. While out on a walk, the Lord led him to the exact amount of money he needed to bless his little boy. When you need it, God will provide it. Sometimes, He’ll provide through a family that gives eggs from their farm to yours all summer. Or who invites you over and offers to pray over you. Or maybe God will use the kindness of a friend who introduced my dad to leadership at the company he works for, in hopes it may open a door for a job. Or what about my friend who took 2 hours out of his day to point me to the Lord and be a listening ear when I didn’t even realize how much I needed it? Sometimes, it’s simple things. Sometimes, we get to be that person for someone else, not realizing how a simple act of obedience can truly bless someone’s day and be what we didn’t even realize they needed. Other times, the Lord allows us to be on the receiving end of His goodness through His children. Pray with me: Dear Father God, please help me to trust that You will give me everything I need for life and godliness. You care about the sparrows and lilies of the field, so how much more do you care for me and provide for me? Thank You for Your provision in my life. In Jesus’s Name, Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

You can be doing the right thing for the right reason—and still become discouraged enough to stop. After decades of exile in Babylon, a faithful remnant of God's people returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. They had chosen obedience over comfort, but fierce opposition eventually brought their work to a halt. For years, the mission God had given them remained unfinished. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to Haggai 1 and 2, where God confronted His discouraged people with a repeated challenge: “Consider your ways.” The Israelites needed to examine their priorities, remember their calling, and resume the work they had abandoned. Opposition often intensifies when we begin taking God seriously. Distraction, resistance, and discouragement can tempt us to quit at precisely the moment we should persevere. Like the Israelites, we must decide whether we will follow the comfortable majority or remain part of the faithful remnant. Jesus Himself chose obedience over the easier road. In Gethsemane, facing unimaginable suffering, He surrendered to the Father: “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Christ endured because the glory ahead was greater than the suffering before Him. Whatever opposition you are facing today, do not allow discouragement to destroy your spiritual momentum. Reconsider your priorities, surrender your will to God, and keep moving forward. The road may be difficult, but Christ is worth following all the way to the finish line. Pray with me. Lord Jesus, I pray that my faith would become even stronger so that when I face discouragement, I will not give up but press on to serve You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

It appears that we are made even better than we thought. The human body and its systems are engineering wonders. The human brain is the most complex arrangement of matter in the universe. Now, new research shows that your brain is even more wonderfully made than anyone thought.It used to be believed that the brain cells you were born with were all the brain cells you would ever have. Then, research showed that canaries grow new brain cells to learn new songs. Later research showed that the human hippocampus grows new cells. That's the part of your brain where you form memories and remember new faces. The latest research now shows that your cerebral cortex also gets new cells every day. That's the part of your brain where you do higher intellectual functions and where your personality lies. The study, which used macaque monkeys, concluded that literally thousands of new brain cells are added to your cerebral cortex every day. Scientists concluded that this also happens in humans because monkeys' bodies usually work pretty much the same as human bodies. Scientists hope that this finding may help develop new treatments for degenerative brain diseases and to replace cells that are lost with age.God has given us wonderful bodies that have amazing abilities, many of which we are still learning about. There is not enough good luck in the universe to enable blind evolutionary chance to create our bodies, much less our brains. Our very existence bears witness to God's wisdom and power.Psalm 107:8"Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”Prayer: I give thanks to You, Lord, for all Your gifts that make me possible. Amen.Ref: “Study finds that new brain cells arrive daily,” Star Tribune. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

Psalm 138:1-3 MSGThank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.In this passage, King David's gratitude is all encompassing. Everything in him says “Thank you.” Nothing is held back. All of his heart, soul and mind kneel and worship God.David's gratitude is expressed specifically about God's love, His faithfulness, His name, and His Word.David's gratitude has an origin and a reason for being: the moment I called out, You stepped in and brought strength.Gratitude cannot be fully expressed until the reason for gratitude has been fully recognized. Our busy, often distracted lives can cause us to miss God's goodness. Our self-focused perspective can keep our eyes on our perceived lack, not our realized gain.Listen again to David's appeal to God: Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength. If you know Christ today, if you have a relationship with God, then He has indeed stepped in; He has most certainly made your life large with strength, even in Your darkest moments. There is power for daily living in gratitude.What are areas of you life, or people in your life that you should express your gratefulness right now?Can you thank him for the challenges too, knowing He will use them for you good?Let's pray using David's words: “Thank you! Everything in me says ‘Thank you!' Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength. As above, so below.” - Amen

COMPLETAS MARTES - TIEMPO ORDINARIO(Oración antes del descanso nocturno)*Link de apoyo al canal al final del escrito*INVOCACIÓN INICIALV. Dios mío, ven en mi auxilioR. Señor, date prisa en socorrerme. Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo, y al Espíritu Santo.Como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.Salmo 5 - Ant. No me escondas tu rostro, ya que confío en ti.Señor, escucha mi oración; tú que eres fiel, atiende a mi súplica;tú que eres justo, escúchame.No llames a juicio a tu siervo, pues ningún hombre vivo es inocente frente a ti.El enemigo me persigue a muerte,empuja mi vida al sepulcro, me confina a las tinieblas como a los muertos ya olvidados.Mi aliento desfallece,mi corazón dentro de mí está yerto.Recuerdo los tiempos antiguos,medito todas tus acciones, considero las obras de tus manosy extiendo mis brazos hacia ti:tengo sed de ti como tierra reseca.Escúchame en seguida, Señor,que me falta el aliento.No me escondas tu rostro,igual que a los que bajan a la fosa.En la mañana hazme escuchar tu gracia,ya que confío en ti;indícame el camino que he de seguir,pues levanto mi alma a ti.Líbrame del enemigo, Señor,que me refugio en ti. Enséñame a cumplir tu voluntad,ya que tu eres mi Dios.Tu espíritu que es bueno, me guíe por tierra llana.Por tu nombre, Señor, consérvame vivo;por tu clemencia, sácame de la angustia.Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo, y al Espíritu Santo.Como era en el principio, ahora y siempre,por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.CÁNTICO EVANGÉLICOAnt. Sálvanos, Señor, despiertos, protégenos mientras dormimos, para que velemos con Cristo y descansemos en paz.CÁNTICO DE SIMEÓN       Lc 2, 29-32Ahora, Señor, según tu promesa,puedes dejar a tu siervo irse en paz,porque mis ojos han visto a tu Salvador,a quien has presentado ante todos los pueblosluz para alumbrar a las nacionesy gloria de tu pueblo Israel.Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo, y al Espíritu Santo.Como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.Ant. Sálvanos, Señor, despiertos, protégenos mientras dormimos, para que velemos con Cristo y descansemos en paz.OREMOSIlumina, Señor, nuestra noche y concédenos un descanso tranquilo; que mañana nos levantemos en tu nombre y podamos contemplar, con salud y gozo, el clarear del nuevo día. Por Cristo nuestro Señor. Amen.BENDICIÓNV. El Señor todopoderoso nos conceda una noche tranquilay una santa muerte.R. Amén.ANTIFONA FINAL DE LA SANTISIMA VIRGENBajo tu amparo nos acogemos, santa Madre de Dios, no desprecies las oraciones que te dirigimos en nuestras necesidades,antes bien líbranos de todo peligro, oh Virgen gloriosa y bendita.(520)

Welcome to The Daily. Go ahead and pick up your 1 Peter Scripture Journal now. Our text today is 1 Peter 3:8-12: Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  — 1 Peter 3:8-12 People are easy to love when they're lovable. But the real test comes when they aren't. It's not difficult to be kind when people are kind to you. It's not hard to be patient with people who understand you, appreciate you, and treat you well. But what do you do when someone criticizes you, wounds you, misunderstands you, or repays your kindness with hostility? How should believers respond when people hurt them? Peter broadens the conversation in this section. After speaking specifically to wives and husbands, he says, "Finally, all of you..." This isn't just marriage advice anymore. It's discipleship. It's a snapshot of the kind of people Christians are called to become. Peter gives five characteristics that should mark followers of Jesus: Unity of mind. Sympathy. Brotherly love. Tender heart. Humble mind. Imagine if churches were known for this. Imagine if Christian families reflected this. Imagine if believers became recognized not for outrage and division, but for compassion and humility. But Peter raises the standard even higher. "Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless..." That's where Peter's instruction becomes challenging. Retaliation feels natural. Someone insults you, and you want to insult them back. Someone gossips about you, and you feel justified in returning the favor. Someone hurts you, and everything in you wants them to feel what they've made you feel. Peter knew those instincts well. This is the same Peter who drew his sword in Gethsemane and cut off Malchus's ear (John 18:10). Peter wasn't naturally gentle. Peter wasn't even naturally restrained. But years of walking with Jesus had transformed him. The man who once retaliated now says: "Bless them." Not because evil isn't evil. Not because hurt doesn't hurt. But because followers of Jesus belong to a different kingdom, with different behaviors due to transformed lives. Peter then quotes Psalm 34, and it's not accidental. David wrote those words after escaping danger, humiliation, and fear of King Saul and King Achish. He had every reason to become bitter. Instead, he testified: "Taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8). God's people have always faced the same choice. Will hardship make you bitter? Or will it make you faithful? You don't control how people treat you. You don't control whether they apologize. You don't control the words they say or the wounds they leave behind. But by God's grace, you do have a choice about what grows in your heart because of it. Don't let hurt disciple you into bitterness, resentment, or the very patterns of evil that wounded you. The world multiplies sin and invites us to pass it along. Christians interrupt it. The people who hurt you don't get to determine who you become. Jesus has already spoken to that through the cross and the resurrection. So instead of replaying the offense today, pray for the person who hurt you by name. Ask God to help you respond in a way that reflects Christ amid the pain. Ask Him to heal what has been wounded in you. And by His grace, let the cycle of hurt stop with you. DO THIS: Think about someone who has hurt you recently. Instead of replaying the offense, pray for them by name today and ask God to help you respond in a way that reflects Christ. ASK THIS: How do I naturally respond when someone hurts me? Is bitterness or resentment taking root in my heart? What would it look like to bless instead of retaliate in this situation? PRAY THIS: Father, You know the wounds I carry and the people who have hurt me. Guard my heart from bitterness and teach me to respond as Jesus did. Fill me with sympathy, humility, and love. Help me interrupt the cycle of evil with grace so that my life reflects Your goodness. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Raise A Hallelujah."

Daily Dose of Hope September 1, 2026   Scripture: Genesis 19:1-29   Prayer: Dear God, We come to you today with sorrow.  We know that we are sinful and broken.  We know that we have fallen short.  We have been disobedient as individuals and as a church.  Lord, please forgive us and show us your better way.  How we need you.  We are lost without you and our behavior so often speaks to that.  Help us seek holiness.  Help us love others the way you love them.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, please help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the book of Genesis.  Today's reading is the first half of Genesis 19, verses 1-29.   Lot, Abraham's nephew, chose the best land.  It just happened to be that land included some pretty evil cities, both Sodom and Gomorrah.  Their wickedness has been mentioned a few times before this chapter but we get the full experience in chapter 19.    The angels from chapter 18 head over the Sodom.  Lot meets them with a hospitable spirit, offers them a place to stay, and food to eat.  But the men of the town surround Lot's house and demand to have sex with the visiting men.  Not a nice way to welcome people to town.  But instead of standing up to the mob, Lot offered his two daughters for the mob to rape!  What are we to make of this?    It was a sacred duty to care for those under your own roof in the ancient Near East.  Hospitality was a big deal.  But one would think caring for your daughters would be as well.  Lot clearly has some priority issues.  It shows his lack of care for his own daughters, maybe because they are women who have little value in his society, maybe because he was scared, we don't really know.  It's despicable though.  I'm grateful that God's messengers intervened to make sure those girls were safe.   The Bible definitely gives us the whole, ugly truth about people, their sin, their failures, their good choices, and their terrible choices.  God is not lifting them up as an example, but he is allowing us to learn from them.  Lot clearly had compromised his values.  He moved to Sodom.  He rubbed elbows with wicked people.  Something rubbed off on him.  But he allowed it.   The two men, God's messengers, make it clear that Sodom and Gomorrah will be destroyed.  Lot and his family must leave.  The sons-in-law, clearly not having a lot of respect for Lot, laugh at the thought of destruction.  But Lot, his wife, and the two daughters head out of dodge.  But his wife looks back, which God warns them not to do, and she turns into a pillar of salt.  I would have really liked some more information here – what a shock to the family!    Sin has consequences.  We get to see that again and again in Scripture.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260901dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed . . . the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans 8:19,22 Creation Can’t Wait Have you ever noticed how often the world reminds us that something isn’t right? Wildfires scorch forests. Tornadoes uproot trees. Droughts wither crops. Pretty soon, depending on where you live, the beauty of creation will fade with the changing seasons. Sometimes we speak of nature as though it is simply running its course. But the Bible tells us that creation is groaning. It wasn’t always this way. When God completed his work of creation, he declared that everything was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no death. No decay. No storms. No disease. The world reflected the perfection of its Creator. Then Adam and Eve sinned. When humanity fell, the curse reached far beyond Adam and Eve. God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you” (Genesis 3:17). Thorns and thistles appeared. Death entered. Since then, every hurricane, every broken body, every dying tree, and every cemetery has proclaimed the same truth: sin has affected everything. Yet, there is hope. Creation is waiting for the day when Christ returns to reveal his children. The created world knows, in a way beyond our understanding, that its own freedom is tied to ours. When Jesus raises the dead and makes all things new, creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay. That means the groaning of creation is not the groan of despair but of eager expectation. Just as a mother experiences labor pains in anticipation of celebrating a new life, so does this world. Therefore, we can look at natural disasters differently. We are not left without hope. Every time we see creation suffer, we are pointed to the One who is coming to restore it. When he does, the curse will be lifted, and we will enjoy a new creation forever. Therefore, with creation, we can’t wait. Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I see the brokenness of this world, remind me that you have already conquered sin, death, and the curse. Give me confidence to endure the groaning of this present age as I wait for the glory you have promised. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

If you are struggling or ready to give up - know that Jesus has commissioned people all around the world to pray for you. He has commissioned His angels to help you because He sees your pain. Hold on a little longer - Jesus sees you. He hears you. He loves you. He is working. Lay your burdens, worries, frustrations, anger, and despair at His feet and trust in Him. He will turn your sorrow into JOY! Amen! Resources: https://www.nateandchristy.co/prophetic-words/dear-pioneers-dont-give-up-just-yet https://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=33698 https://laurapotter.us/the-mindset-of-the-king/ https://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=33767 https://standingonfaithtogether.com/blog/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday, 1 September 2026   The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, Matthew 22:23   “In that, the ‘day', they approached Him, Sadducees (saying not is ‘resurrection'), and they queried Him.” (CG)   In the previous verse, the Pharisees and Herodians marveled at Jesus' words and departed. Maybe having seen or heard about this, another group comes forward, ready to test Him. Matthew records, “In that, the ‘day', they approached Him, Sadducees.”   This sect was first seen, along with the Pharisees, in Matthew 3:7. This was at the time John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan. They were noted again, several times in Matthew 16.   Their specific interaction at that time was with Jesus as they, along with the Pharisees, asked for a sign from heaven. Of this group of religious leaders, Matthew specifically notes a point of doctrine that they held to, which is “(saying not is ‘resurrection').”   Surprisingly, this is a new word in Scripture, anastasis, a standing up again. It is from the word an anistémi, to stand up. That is prefixed with the word ana, up, but used in various other ways in a distributive manner. In the New Testament, other than Luke 2:34, anastasis is always used in reference to a resurrection. In Luke 2:34, it says –   “Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising [anastasis] of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against...”   As for the reason they have come to Jesus, Matthew records, “and they queried Him.” The word used to describe their query is one of deliberate asking. Thus, their query is specifically designed to glean an answer or response from Jesus about a matter.   Life application: In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes the following –   “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-19   The key point of Christian faith is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The cross of Christ is the key focus of our faith, and the point on which every Christian's boast should be directed (see Galatians 6:14), but a crucifixion without a subsequent resurrection is a pointless place to direct one's hope.   Many people have been crucified in human history. They died, and they remain dead. But Jesus was resurrected from the tomb. This event then solidifies the meaning of the cross. Someone can say, “I will give up my life to save another.” And, in fact, many have done that throughout human history.   But that type of saving is only to prolong the temporary life we live. A soldier could jump on a grenade to save his fellow soldier, but the saved soldier could be shot dead thirty seconds later. Both are dead and both will remain dead.   However, no human can die for another's sin when they have already inherited Adam's fallen nature. The sin is there in us from the moment we are conceived. Various pagan religions sacrificed babies, young virgins, etc., all hoping for some type of atonement, but such a sacrifice is ineffectual because of original sin.   Jesus, however, was born without Adam's fallen nature. His father is God. Thus, with a human mother, He is the God/Man. He was born without sin, He lived under the law without sinning, and He died in fulfilment of the law, taking away sin committed under law for those who trust in Him.   The resurrection proves that our sin is atoned for. It also proves that we are eternally saved (because we are no longer under law, and it is by law that sin is imputed). The resurrection also proves that Jesus is God. As all humans who descend from Adam have sin through their father, and because Jesus resurrected, it proves that Jesus' Father is God.   As all beings reproduce after their own kind, the resurrection provides irrefutable proof that Jesus Christ is the God/Man. Hope? Hope? We have the greatest hope of all when we put our trust in Jesus Christ. Nothing can ever separate us from God again when we come to Him through Jesus Christ.   Let us remember this as we pass through this world of toil, trouble, trial, and times of temptation or turmoil. These things are bound to come, but Christ has overcome the world. For those who are in Him, they too have overcome the world.   Praise God for Jesus Christ our Lord!   We praise and exalt You for what You have done for us, O God. The majesty of what You have done is more wonderful than all else. Thank You for the giving of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom, we now have the hope of the resurrection to eternal life. Amen.  

CASHING IN #RTTBROS #NIGHTLIGHT Back in 1972, Jimmy Rush and his father were eating at Wintzell's Oyster House in Mobile, Alabama, when they spotted a sign on the wall. It was a joke, a classic piece of restaurant humor. It read: "Free oysters to any man 80 years old accompanied by his father."The staff told them the offer was technically genuine, but in the history of the place, no one had ever actually claimed it. It seemed impossible. But Jimmy and his dad decided right then to make it a lifelong goal.Fifty-four years later, in February 2026, Jimmy walked back into that restaurant on his 80th birthday. And right beside him was his 99-year-old father. They didn't just find a sign; they found a promise that had outlasted decades, owners, and the skepticism of everyone who had seen that sign and walked away."For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by Jesus Christ." — 2 Corinthians 1:20Most of us treat God's promises like that sign on the wall. We see them in the Bible, we think they're beautiful, but we assume they aren't actually for us or that the wait is just too long to be realistic.But the nature of a promise isn't found in how quickly it's delivered; it's found in the character of the one who made it.Tonight, consider these three things:1. Stop treating the Word as a suggestion. The promise is genuine. It isn't a "maybe" or a "perhaps." It is a settled fact based on God's character.2. Accept the timeline. Some promises are delivered in a moment, and others are lifelong journeys. The delay is not a denial.3. Stay in the game. The only way to miss the promise is to stop walking toward it.The Promise-Keeper is still in business.Hold on. Keep walking. Your "Amen" is coming.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros#BibleWisdomDaily #ChristianWisdom #PracticalBiblicalWisdom #Prayer #Trust #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. — Psalm 96:3 Have you ever experienced a genuine echo? Maybe you shouted “Hello!” into a wide empty space and then heard your own voice return: “Hello! Hello! Hello!” I remember being about seven years old and calling out across a misty lake—and then, with a sense of wonder, hearing my voice come drifting back to me.This month let's explore something that is similar to an echo. Our theme this month is “Resonance,” and the concept of resonance is close to my heart and my work. The agency I serve is called Resonate Global Mission, and this organization focuses on living out and sharing the good news of Jesus so that it resonates, going out in every direction like an expanding, amplifying sound.Resonance is like an echo, yet deeper and more powerful. When we think about resonance in our spiritual lives, it can open us to the wonder of God's voice speaking through his Word, his Spirit, and his world—reverberating within our lives and all around us.The ringing of a bell or a chime provides another way to experience resonance. As you engage in these devotions, I encourage you to find a small chime (or search “chime sound” on your phone) and play it after each day's reflection.God is here with us! God speaks his good news and shares his love with us! May our voices echo back with joy and praise for all the great things God has done! Lord, thank you for your marvelous deeds and the way your love resonates around us. What a privilege to echo back our songs of praise! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

I wonder what comes to mind for most people when they think about the Ten Commandments. Studies have shown that most folks are unable to name more than one or two of them. I bet many others would probably have to admit that when they think of the Ten Commandments, and this may just be, you know, thinking about the older generations, but for many of us, I imagine some when they hear about the Ten Commandments, they think of Charlton Heston with a gray bouffant hairdo, wearing a bathrobe, and special effects in the background. Others might have a visceral reaction to a phrase that, for them, conjures up feelings of a threatening, judgmental, angry God. But my guess is that most people probably don't think of the Ten Commandments much at all, which may be what drives some people to make such a fuss about trying to get these things posted in prominent places. Have you noticed the spate of legislation being forwarded in a number of, I will have to say, mostly southern states to place the Ten Commandments in public schools and buildings? Have you been following this? It's a whole situation, friends. It's a whole situation. The youngest among us may think that that sort of thing is a new phenomenon. It is not. A quick search revealed that perhaps the first large scale campaign to mandate public posting was launched in 1950. The first time the Supreme Court took up the matter was 1980. And then there's Roy Moore, the twice elected, twice removed justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, I won't go into all of that, but I can tell you if you're curious, I'm sure. During Moore's first stint on the bench, beginning in 2001, he waged and lost a stubborn fight to keep a Ten Commandments monument in his courthouse. One thing I remember about this episode is the fact that after being removed as Chief Justice, Judge Moore continued this crusade through speaking engagements and would bring along the Ten Commandments monument with him wherever he went to give a talk. Now, I'm all for visuals to help you support your message, but get this: the monument weighs 5,280 pounds, roughly just a little more than 500 pounds a commandment. So Judge Moore would lug this massive thing across the country on the back of a flatbed truck. You cannot make this stuff up. It was reported that even the five-ton crane that was used to move the monument off the truck buckled visibly under its weight. What an amazing mental image, really. I mean, it's so appropriate, since many of us may have a sense that the commandments are heavy and dangerous, that they hang over people like an ominous threat just waiting to crush you with their weight the minute you step out of line. This is the way that some folks use the commandments and the scriptures in general, as a heavy yoke that the masses, regardless of culture or creed, need to have publicly strapped to their backs and nailed to their walls so that they'll get into shape, lift those heavy laws, carry those burdensome commandments, and do three sets of ten repetitions every other day. Weightlifting morality. That's what that is. However, I don't think we have to look too far to find a challenge to this way of thinking. Just look back at the text we read today from Exodus. The recital of the Ten Commandments begins this way: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." This is God's reminder to the people of who God is and what God has done. God is no dictator. God doesn't impose the weight of unfair laws upon people. The commandments are not a mandate to enslave God's people. God is the one who has brought the people out of slavery, who has unburdened them from unjust laws. God is the one who has given the people freedom. But I find that many folk focus less on that and more on the "thou shalt not" of the commandments. Why do they have to be so negative? If God cares enough about us to set us free, I imagine some people thinking, then why does it seem like God is trying to control us, to limit our freedom? Now let's think about it for just a minute. Jesus experienced God as Abba, as father. All you mothers and fathers out there, all of us who have spent significant time caring for children, just think about when the children are very young. They're curious about everything. They want to touch everything. They want to put everything in their mouth. They want to get into anything and everything. And as a loving caregiver, you are trying to keep them alive. You want to do everything you can to keep them safe. And so you set boundaries for your children to keep them safe. However, we do know any parent will tell you that children always push against the boundary. Can I get an amen from anyone? Children will always push against the boundary. I will say as a pastor, people push against the boundary. We really do not like to be told no. But really, only the most naive among us will assume that true freedom means total freedom from restraints. I just think of our dog, Daisy. If Daisy were allowed to run completely free with no restraints, she might catch sight of another dog and dash across our busy street in front of the house to chase it, and that would get Daisy killed for sure. Because we love Daisy, we provide restraints that keep her safe, that help her enjoy the world in ways that are good for her and for the other creatures around her. God, who has brought people out of slavery, is setting some boundaries for the people so that they will remain free, so that they may live in peace and safety together, so that they may experience the fullness of life. And this is the thing about God's commandments: every "thou shalt not," every no, is protecting a yes. God says no to the things that enslave us, that diminish us, or destroy life together, so that we can say yes to the things that make life free and whole for everyone. The no is never the point. "Thou shalt not" is not the point. The life God is protecting, the freedom God is protecting, the dignity God is protecting, that is the point. With this framework in mind, we see that the commandments might sound like this: the no to other gods, the no to idols and their empty promises, protects a yes to trusting the God whose word is good, to trusting the God who sets us free, to recognizing what is truly holy. No to using God's name to manipulate or to threaten or to serve our own agenda means yes to honoring God with humility and with reverence. No to endless work, to treating ourselves or anyone else as machines for production, is a yes to Sabbath, to rest, to delight, recreation, and remembering that the world does not stop turning because you take a break. Remember, a pause here, remember who God is speaking to in these commandments: former slaves, people whose lives had been measured by how much they produced. God says, you're free now, you can stop. No to dishonoring those from whom we have received life means yes to honoring those who came before us, while telling the truth about what we've inherited, and choosing what we will bring forward. No to violence and to the destruction of life is a yes to reverence, to life, and for life. No to betrayal and broken promises and the cheapening of intimacy is a yes to faithfulness to the covenants that we make, yes to trust and intimacy cherished. No to taking what belongs to another is a yes to respecting our neighbors and building a community where theft is unnecessary because all have enough. No to lies, slander, and words that destroy another person is a yes to truth spoken in love and words that build one another up. No to coveting, to allowing someone else's life or possessions to make us dissatisfied with our own, is a yes to gratitude, to generosity, and to rejoicing in our neighbors' good. Every no protects a yes. Every boundary opens space for life to be lived well, and a world shaped by all those yeses, what a wonderful world that would be. That world isn't here yet. We still go so far astray. Think again with me about Sabbath. God says to people who have been slaves, whose worth was measured by their productivity, you can stop. And not only you, did you notice? It's a great part of that commandment. Not just you, your children, your workers, the immigrant living among you. Even your animals get to stop. Give them a break. Everybody gets to rest. Now imagine taking that commandment seriously in a culture where people work multiple jobs and still can't make ends meet, where paid leave is a luxury for many, where productivity so easily becomes a measure of our human worth. It's one thing to post the commandment on a classroom wall, but are we willing to build a society in which people can actually live it? And we could ask that question not just about Sabbath, but about the one about idolatry, or truth telling, or violence, or faithfulness, slander, greed, and whether our neighbors have enough. Even after all this time, we continue to misunderstand. We can turn even the commandments themselves into monuments, into idols, things to display and defend, rather than a way of life to practice. Are we hopeless? Sometimes I just wonder, are we hopeless? Is the answer to be found in posting bigger and heavier versions of the Ten Commandments wherever possible? I don't believe we're hopeless. Newsflash: I don't believe we're hopeless. And I don't think, surprise, surprise, I don't think our hope lies in mandated public posting of the commandments. Our hope is found in the public living of the commandments. Of course, to live the ways of God, we need to know them. We need to learn and study what they really mean for us in our time and place. We need to understand the law of God and teach the law of God in appropriate ways and in appropriate contexts. We need to understand that the commandments set us free to live together in such a way that nobody has to be enslaved, exploited, violated, betrayed, robbed, lied about, or consumed by another person's greed. Do I want to say that one again? Can I say that one again? There was a lot in there. Let me just say it again: the commandments set us free. They set us free. Oh, Lord, I'm going to say it again, they set us free to live together in such a way that nobody has to be enslaved, exploited, violated, betrayed, robbed, lied about, or consumed by another person's greed. The more we learn and live and teach the commandments in ways that reveal their freeing and life-giving purpose, the less they'll seem like stones hanging over people's heads, 500 pounds a commandment, ready to crush or imprison us. The more we live according to God's way, the closer we will be to that world of all those yeses, a world that is safe and peaceful and whole. To see how to live according to the law, we only have to look as far as Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, the fulfillment of the law in flesh, says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." We know that this teaching of Jesus doesn't mean the way will be easy. All you have to do is love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself, and you have to do 25 sets of 100 repetitions daily for the rest of your life. Doesn't mean it's easy to take on the yoke of Christ. It does mean that Jesus gives us grace and strength and stamina to live according to the way of God, not so that we might finally earn our freedom, because God has already set us free. The commandments show us how to live together in ways that honor the life and the dignity of all. That is the weight God asks us to carry, not 5,000 pounds of stones strapped to our backs, but the light burden of learning day by day how to live God's freedom together. May that be so, and may the day come soon. Amen. Beloved, my invitation for us today, and as we go into the week: I was wrestling and praying about this, and there are two things I want to suggest. One is that you consider the commandments. If you haven't read them over, take a look at them again and ask, is there one of these things that I need to study and pray over so that I can receive the freedom that God wants to give me through its practice? That's an invitation, take a look at them again. Some of it's a little confusing. You can read my sermon for help, but think about it: is there one of these commandments that you just need to sit with, to discover where God wants to give you more freedom through practicing that commandment? And the second invitation I want to extend today, and encourage you to think about as we move closer into this fall season, is: how are you going to stay close to the word of God? How are you going to stay close to the practices that sustain life and life together, through your participation here at Foundry Church? Begin to pray about it. Look at those opportunities that are coming up for service, for learning, for community, and begin to get clear. Make some decisions, or make a decision, not more. We have to make too many decisions. Make one decision: where are you going to, what are you going to do, to help you really stay connected in ways that help sustain your life and your freedom? That's my invitation today. Amen.

The Torah in Parashat Nisavim foresees the time when Beneh Yisrael would be banished into exile on account of their breach of their covenant with G-d, describing, "Va'yashlichem Be'eretz Aheret" – Hashem's casting the nation into a different land (29:27). Those who look carefully at the Torah scroll will notice that the letter Lamed in the word "Va'yashlichem" is written larger than the other letters of the Torah. Enlarged letters in the Torah function like bolded text, or capitalized letters, in modern-day writing, denoting emphasis. What might the Torah have sought to emphasize with the enlarged Lamed in this word? Perhaps we can answer this question by understanding the unique significance of this letter. Several great Rabbis taught that as the word "Lamed" means "learn," this letter is associated with Torah study. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) explains on this basis the unique shape of the letter Lamed, which is drawn with a vertical line on top, followed by a horizontal line, and then another vertical line dropping down. This shape, the Ben Ish Hai writes, represents the process of Torah tradition. The top vertical line represents the transmission of Torah wisdom as it "descends" from the scholar to his disciple. The horizontal line represents the learning that takes place among peers, how the students – who are generally on the same level, like points on a horizontal line – learn and gain from another. The line descending from that horizonal line symbolizes the students' then transmitting their knowledge and wisdom down to their offspring and students. If, indeed, the letter Lamed represents Torah learning, then we can perhaps explain the significance of the enlarged letter Lamed in the word "Va'yachlichem." As mentioned, this word speaks of the Jews leaving into exile, where they would live amidst, and under the authority of, foreign nations. The Torah is alluding to us that when this happens, when we are driven to exile, the Lamed – Torah learning – must be our central point of focus. Living among foreign cultures, we face two potential challenges: persecution, and assimilation. In some exiles, the primary hardship involved the foreign governments' attempts to ban Jewish learning and practice, to pull us away from our faith and our traditions by force. But in other eras, such as in our current exile here in the United States, the challenge is assimilation. We are, thank G-d, free to practice our religion without any restrictions, but with all the freedoms we enjoy come the lures and pressures of our society. Its beliefs are not our beliefs, its values are not our values, and its lifestyle is not our lifestyle. As a small minority, we face the constant pressure to accept the beliefs, values and lifestyle of our surroundings. This is why the Lamed is enlarged. The most effective and most important weapon we have in our arsenal with which to defend ourselves against the unrelenting cultural pressure to which we are subject in exile is Torah learning. When we learn Torah, we submerge ourselves in our faith, in our values, in our traditions, in our laws and customs. Torah learning of course is and always was a vitally important part of Jewish life, for several reasons, but in exile – and especially in our current reality – it serves the function of anchoring us to our spiritual core, and fortifying us against the hostile spiritual influences of general society. Let us, then, redouble our commitment to Torah learning, so we will survive this exile both physically and spiritually, and be worthy of our final redemption, speedily and in our time, Amen.

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians while under arrest in Rome, expecting to be executed by his enemies. He had every reason to ruminate on injustice, catastrophize about his future, and let fear steal whatever remained of his peace. Instead, he gave us one of Scripture's most practical and powerful tools: Philippians 4:8. Eight categories of thought to intentionally redirect our minds toward — what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. This is not denial of the hard things. It is an active, deliberate exercise of free will that redirects the mind away from what is toxic and toward what is life-giving. Paul began the same letter by declaring that to live is Christ and to die is gain. He had already settled his future with God, and that settled foundation is what made the redirecting of thoughts not just possible but natural. The same is available to us. When the mind locks down under the weight of unpleasant burdens, we can make the same choice Paul made in prison. And as he promises in the verse that follows, the God of peace will be with us. Today's Bible Verse "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things."— Philippians 4:8, NIV Ponder Today You can change your own mind — and that is a gift from God. The brain He gave you is not only capable of absorbing the world around you. It is capable of making active decisions about what to focus on. Philippians 4:8 is an invitation to exercise that capacity deliberately. Paul wrote this from prison, expecting death. His circumstances were not improved by verse 8. His mind was. That distinction matters enormously. Choosing our thoughts wisely does not change our situation — it changes how we move through it. The eight categories in Philippians 4:8 are a practical tool for redirecting a locked-down mind. What is true? What is noble? What is right? What is pure? What is lovely? What is admirable? What is excellent? What deserves praise? Walking through these questions is a form of active, faith-filled meditation. Redirecting thoughts is not the same as ignoring hard realities. Paul acknowledged that anger, fear, and the desire for revenge are real. He simply refused to let them set up permanent residence. Choosing what we think about is an act of resistance against what would otherwise consume us. The God of peace follows the practice of thinking wisely. Philippians 4:9 makes a direct promise: when we put these things into practice, the God of peace will be with us. The presence of peace is not automatic. It follows the discipline of directed thought. A Prayer for You Today Dear God, my mind gets filled up fast these days. It sometimes feels like a jumble of deadlines, bad news, unsavory media, and fears about my future. Thank You for reminding me in Philippians 4:8 that this mind You gave me can not only absorb but also make active decisions. I can choose what I focus on, and I am so grateful You gave me eight ideas to replace fear, anger, and worry. Please empower me to clear my head today. Move me to make time in my schedule to purposely choose what I want to think about. And keep showing me lovely, pure, noble, and praiseworthy things so I can follow the path of peace You desire for me. In Your holy name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.